Cultural, economic and political impacts resulting from the discovery of Ice Age Cave Art at Creswell Crags
Submitting Institution
University of SheffieldUnit of Assessment
Geography, Environmental Studies and ArchaeologySummary Impact Type
CulturalResearch Subject Area(s)
History and Archaeology: Archaeology, Curatorial and Related Studies, Historical Studies
Summary of the impact
Following their discovery of in situ Ice Age cave art at Creswell
Crags, on the Nottinghamshire/ Derbyshire border, the Sheffield team led
by Dr Paul Pettitt initiated a multi-faceted programme to increase
academic, public and media awareness of the site. This has led to
increased visitor numbers to the site (providing economic benefits and
increasing public awareness and understanding of Ice Age Britain), leading
to the viability and construction of a new visitor centre and other site
developments, and ultimately to the site gaining World Heritage Foundation
status.
Underpinning research
Creswell Crags is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Site of Special
Scientific Interest and is recognised internationally for the wealth of
Palaeolithic archaeology and Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental evidence
preserved in the sediment fills of a series of caves and fissures. In 2003
a team of researchers led by Dr Paul Pettitt (University of Sheffield,
2003-12) discovered engravings on the walls of three of the caves at
Creswell Crags, and subsequent research demonstrated that these artworks
dated to the last Ice Age approximately 14,000 years ago. The engravings
are the only known in situ art from this time period in Britain.
Discoveries made at Creswell Crags over the last 140 years inform our
understanding of palaeoenvironments and human behaviour during the last
Ice Age. In 2003 Pettitt initiated the investigation of the art at
Creswell based on previous research which had identified human occupation
at the site. Leading a team that included Sergio Ripoll (Universidad
Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid) and Paul Bahn (independent
researcher), Pettitt discovered figurative and abstract engraved marks on
the walls of Church Hole cave at Creswell. These sensational discoveries
of Britain's only examples of Ice Age cave art prompted a programme of
further research into the palaeolithic archaeology of Creswell Crags by
Sheffield, led by Pettitt, and Chamberlain (a Trustee at Creswell Heritage
Trust), that is ongoing (Kuykendall).
Before the discoveries of engravings on the cave walls at Creswell Crags
there were only two isolated instances known from Britain of Palaeolithic
figurative art in the form of bone figures. The research conducted by
Pettitt and colleagues in the Creswell caves has documented twelve
decorated and engraved panels with 16 figures in Church Hole, together
with additional individual figures located in Robin Hood Cave and Mother
Grundy's Parlour. The designs depicted exhibit close similarities to art
found in caves in Western and Central Europe, demonstrating direct links
between the late Upper Palaeolithic cultures in Britain and their
counterparts amongst the Late Magdalenian cultures that reoccupied the
Northern European Plain approximately 25,000 years ago. The research led
by Pettitt has enormously enhanced the importance of Creswell Crags as a
site that not only documents the subsistence strategies of the Late
Magdalenian hunters but also provides evidence of their beliefs and ritual
practices.
To fully investigate and analyse the cave art and to extend and enhance
the findings, excavations were undertaken by Pettitt, and collaborations
initiated with Roger Jacobi (Palaeolithic specialist, British Museum,
deceased) and Michel Lorblanchet (CNRS, France) to provide a comparison to
European cave art and for authentication and international recognition of
this important find. Continued research included further exploration of
the caves for other examples of cave art, excavations at Church Hole and
the dating of the finds recovered which was supported by grants to Pettitt
of over £130K. This also funded the 2004 conference Creswell Art in
European Context and publication of the conference by Oxford
University Press. The discovery of the cave art and the results of the
follow-up research were published in leading international academic
journals [R2,R4, R5,R6] as well as in academic books [R1,R3] and in
popular and local archaeological journals.
References to the research
R1. Bahn, P. & Pettitt, P. (eds) 2009. Britain's Oldest
Art. The Ice Age Cave Art of Creswell Crags. Swindon: English
Heritage.
R2. Bahn, P., Pettitt, P. & Ripoll, S. 2003. Discovery of
Palaeolithic cave art in Britain. Antiquity 77: 227-231.
R3. Pettitt, P., Bahn, P. & Ripoll, S. (eds) 2007. Palaeolithic
Cave Art at Creswell Crags in European Context. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
R4. Pettitt, P. and Pike, A. 2007. Dating European Palaeolithic
cave art: progress, prospects, problems. Journal of Archaeological
Method and Theory 14: 27-47. doi: 10.1007/s10816-007-9026-4
R5. Pike, A.W.G., Gilmour, M., Pettitt, P., Jacobi, R., Ripoll,
S., Bahn, P., and Muñoz, F. 2005. Verification of the age of the
Palaeolithic cave art at Creswell Crags, UK. Journal of Archaeological
Science 32(11): 1649-1655. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2005.05.002
R6. Ripoll, S. Muñoz, F., Bahn, P. and Pettitt, P. 2004.
Palaeolithic cave engravings at Creswell Crags, England. Proceedings
of the Prehistoric Society 70: 93-105.
Evidence for Research Quality: Antiquity is an
international peer-reviewed academic journal that has an impact factor of
1.43 (one of the highest citation ratings for a journal that publishes
primarily humanities research). Journal of Archaeological Science,
with an impact factor of 1.89, is the premier international peer-reviewed
journal for science-based archaeology. Journal of Archaeological
Method and Theory is an international journal with a 2-year impact
factor of 1.79. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society is a
distinguished peer-reviewed journal with international readership and
serves as the preferred medium of publication for many of the most
important archaeological discoveries in Britain. Paul Pettitt obtained
grants from Leverhulme (£112K), BA (£10K), and NERC (analysis) to
undertake further field research and analysis on cave art.
Details of the impact
The original discovery of the cave art and subsequent dissemination and
use of the findings was a product of the symbiotic link between the
University of Sheffield and Creswell and close collaboration between the
two units. The University of Sheffield has maintained a close and
continuous involvement with archaeological research at Creswell Crags
since 1976. In 1990, it was one of the founders of the Creswell Heritage
Trust (CHT), the charitable organisation that manages and interprets the
natural and cultural heritage of Creswell Crags and its caves. The
University nominates a representative member to the Council of Management
of the Trust and provides archaeological advice to the officers of the
Trust. Several past and present staff of the Heritage Trust, including the
Director, were trained at the University of Sheffield and they continue to
maintain close links with the University, and since 2008, 3 students have
been tour guides [S1].
Raising awareness of Creswell Crags and improving public understanding
The cave art discoveries in 2003 proved to be a turning point for Creswell
Crags. The initial far-reaching media coverage generated by the
discoveries has been built upon by deliberate efforts by Pettitt and
Chamberlain to disseminate their research locally, regionally and
internationally, to raise public understanding of Ice Age Britain and cave
art, to involve the local community in their local historic environment,
and to support the CHT in turning Creswell into one of the UK's leading
prehistoric archaeological attractions. Pettitt built upon his research by
writing a popular book Britain's Oldest Art: the Ice Age Cave Art of
Creswell Crags (2009, English Heritage) which aimed to present the
cave art in its national and international context to a general
readership. The book has sold over 1500 copies and was shortlisted for the
best Archaeology book in the British Archaeological Awards 2010 [S2].
Following its coverage in international journals the research was
published in regional archaeological journals, such as Transactions of
the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire, disseminating the results
to a local and more diverse audience. The project still continues to raise
interest in the press and popular magazines such as National Geographic
(28 Oct 2010, readership of >9 million and translated into 36
languages) [S3], Minerva (front cover Jan/Feb 2010, circulation 10,000)
and BBC History magazine (Aug 2009, readership 69,000 in 2010, also
featuring in their online magazine www.historyextra.com).
The opening of the visitor centre featured in the Daily Telegraph on 8
Sept 2009 (readership 790,000) and in Current Archaeology Nov/Dec 2009
(circulation 17,000).
A wide-ranging programme of public engagement activities was implemented
to ensure that local, regional and national communities have been kept
fully informed and engaged with the importance of the cave art finds
within their context. For example, Pettitt and Chamberlain gave invited
lectures, based on their research of the recent discoveries, to general
audiences at meetings of regional archaeological societies (e.g. Plymouth
and District Archaeological Society, Oct 2010, (86 attendees), a workshop
and tour of the excavations and art with the Yorkshire Archaeology Society
on July 2012 (17 members plus guests) and a day funded by HLF Ice Age
Journeys at the Crags (22 attendees). They also contributed to national
and local events such as the ICOMOS summer event at Creswell Crags Trust
(June 2013, 25 participants), the annual CBA Festival of Archaeology 2009
(250 delegates, featured in Culture24's Top Picks), a CBA members' weekend
trip to Derbyshire and Creswell (14 Sept 2012, 68 visitors) and a series
of `Family Learning Ice Age Camps', funded by Derbyshire County Council
and CHT were organised on four days through the summer 2013 (free of
charge) [S4]. During 2009, University of Sheffield archaeology students
gave public tours of the Crags and their archaeology, produced and sold
booklets and created posters for the general public, thereby increasing
public knowledge of the site and finds, and improving public understanding
of Ice Age Britain.
In addition to an increasing number of school groups, in the last two
years, student groups from Bochum, Mainz and several UK universities have
been guided around the Crags by the Sheffield team. In 2012, Creswell
Crags were runners up in the Big Draw Award Ceremony at the Courtauld
Institute of Art, London [S1]. Their entry `The Big Cave Draw', was
organised at Creswell and led by artist, Georgina Bell, who encouraged
children to produce their own Ice-Age art inspired by the cave paintings,
using primitive technology, engaging children by participating in early
history.
The Creswell cave art has had a significantly diverse popular appeal. A
succession of recent popular radio and television programmes have
incorporated the art into their content, including The Drawings on the
Wall, presented by George Nash (BBC Radio 4, 3 February 2008 —
quarterly R4 listeners 9.5M), Arturart, presented by Arthur Smith
(BBC Radio 4, 7 April 2009, quarterly R4 listeners 9.9M), Digging for
Britain (Alice Roberts, BBC TV, 26th August 2010 (online
16 September 2010), 2.34M viewers — rated 6th for BBC2 for that
week) and A History of Ancient Britain, presented by Neil Oliver
(BBC 2 TV, February 2011, 3.2M viewers — barb.co.uk) [S5]. It has even
been featured in walkers' and ramblers' pages, e.g. in the Guardian
`Travel/go walk — Nottingham's cave art' web page (Guardian web site has
~3 million hits per day).
Building a new museum and visitor centre
The large increase in visitor numbers due to the Ice Age discoveries and
subsequent efforts to raise media and public interest, led to a
state-of-the-art new museum and visitor centre being built during 2009,
funded by £4.2M Heritage Lottery funding. Chamberlain (as Trustee) was a
key advisor on the application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the ice
age discoveries by Pettitt, in particular the rock art, feature strongly
in the application. The visitor centre uses the research findings of
Pettitt and Chamberlain to provide exciting exhibitions and permanent
educational displays that use archaeological finds from the site to tell
the story of Ice Age Britain. It has also hosted exhibitions with other
educators such as the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Manchester
Museum, and others. The British Museum has worked with the Creswell Crags
team to facilitate the building of the new museum and to effect long term
loans of British Museum material [S6]. One broader impact of the museum is
that it will assist with the wider regeneration of North East Derbyshire
and North Nottinghamshire. Since its opening in 2009 total visitor numbers
to the new centre have exceeded 200,000 [S1].
To further facilitate visitor viewing of the cave art in 2010, CHT (with
Chamberlain on the CHT board involved in planning and infrastructure
enhancements) obtained £93,000 of grant aid from a consortium of local
development agencies and environmental funds to install a permanent
walkway to the visitor centre, and a viewing platform that enhances the
visitor experience when viewing the cave art in Church Hole. This
investment in new infrastructure led to a £38,000 grant in 2011 from
Nottinghamshire County council matched by £38,000 from Derbyshire Council,
to run the visitor centre and education programme [S7]. The education
programme and new and extended facilities, including exhibition spaces,
has enhanced the viewer experience and allowed more of the story of the
cave, the art and the background to the discoveries to be displayed,
enhancing cultural understanding of the finds.
Economic impact of increased visitor numbers
Our discovery of, and subsequent research on, the rock art has been of
direct financial benefit to the Trust, allowing longer opening hours and a
dedicated team of educators to be employed. Since the discovery of the
rock art, and publication of the findings by Pettitt, CHT have organised
regular dedicated Rock Art tours to show off the discoveries and
subsequent research findings from Pettitt's excavations. So while total
visitor numbers slightly decreased in 2009-10 due to the recession, the
number of rock art tours has increased with 9,000 undertaken between 2008
and 2013, generating a total income £54,610 for the Trust, with
>£15,000 in the financial year 2011-2012. The director of Cresswell,
attributes this to `the increased interest in the cave as a result of
Paul Pettitt's research and excavation at Church Hole and the
involvement of the excavation team in the public programmes' [S1].
Other business and government sectors that have benefited in terms of
economic growth or cultural development from the cave art discoveries
include the local private sector (shops and cafes) and local authority
tourism organisations through increased tourism in the area. Using visitor
figures and surveys and economic data provided by the Bolsover District
Council for the local district, CHT has calculated that the total economic
impact for the year 2012-13 in terms of total spending was in excess of
£750,000, which included local, day and overnight visitors who stayed in
the local area [S1, S7]. This is in addition to the national-level income
generated by the sale of TV and radio broadcasts to other networks, and
papers by media organisations. The research has also had a far-reaching
impact beyond the heritage sector — for example, it featured in the Royal
Society Many Hands festival and exhibition Nov 2011-Jan 2012 with
18,000 visitors [S8].
Supporting CHT to gain World Heritage Status for the site
Following the cave art discoveries Pettitt and Chamberlain were invited to
formulate a site Research Strategy and co-authored this document. Due to
their ongoing research at Creswell, in 2010, they also collaborated with
CHT in the preparation of an application for World Heritage Status. Both
Pettitt and Chamberlain, as members of the World Heritage Steering group
advised the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the Technical
Evaluation, in particular advising about the value of the site and the
contribution the resource makes towards outstanding universal value. The
application was approved in March 2011 and Creswell is now a Tentative
World Heritage Site. Having the vision to become a World Heritage Site has
had a major impact on the investment in developing the site, particularly
physical infrastructure improvements (sewage works relocation, road
diversion, centre development, enhanced visitor access and
interpretation). The WHS strategy has resulted in £17 million investment
to date. These investments and the income raised (above) have a greater
significance as the Bolsover area, in which Creswell falls, is in the
`top' 18% of English local authority areas in the 2010 English Index of
Multiple Deprivation. Other impacts include increased community pride and
identity with local heritage. The aspiration to become a WHS has increased
visitor numbers indirectly through the improvements detailed above.
The impact of the research on Archaeological policy and operating
guidance
The site was pivotal to the development of the English Heritage
commissioned Palaeolithic Research Framework; Pettitt, P., Gamble, C. and
Last, J. (eds.) 2008. Research and Conservation Framework for the
British Palaeolithic. London: English Heritage & The Prehistoric
Society. This document sets out the key operating practice which
identifies areas of strategic research and conservation that should be
taken forward in the coming years. The recommendations laid out in this
document will inform future planning and research practices in relation to
all Palaeolithic sites and is used widely in the profession.
Summary
Overall, these benefits are global in their reach — tentative World
Heritage Status is recognised internationally — as well as being
significant at the local, regional and national level. The economic
benefits are measurable and substantial at the local and regional level,
and the contribution of the cave art to education and public understanding
is demonstrable through its prominence in nationally broadcast programmes.
Sources to corroborate the impact
S1. The Director, Creswell Heritage Trust, to corroborate visitor
numbers, impact of ice age art, contribution of Pettitt and Chamberlain to
funding/WHS status, and economic impact
S2. English Heritage, publications department for numbers of books
published.
S3. http://news.nationalgeographic.co.uk/news/2004/08/0818_040818_ice_age_caveart.html
S4. Plymouth and District Archaeology Society can confirm attendance at
event.
S5. BBC (for listening/viewing figures) barb.co.uk and readership of BBC
magazines
S6. British Museum can confirm use of Sheffield research in displays and
co-exhibitions with Creswell.
S7. Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire County Councils for confirmation of
investment/tourism.
S8. http://royalsociety.org/events/2011/many-hands/
for exhibition information.